A mid-sized beverage alcohol business is seeking a results driven Distribution Sales Manager to lead distribution growth across California with near term expansion into additional states. This pivotal role will manage DSD wholesale partners, drive distribution and velocity within key chain accounts, oversee regional budgets, and ensure alignment with sales and brand objectives.
The role reports directly to the CEO and will operate with significant autonomy and visibility. The ideal candidate will possess strong wholesaler management experience, a deep understanding of the beverage alcohol three tier system, and the ability to translate strategic initiatives into effective in market execution.
Key Responsibilities
Distributor & Wholesaler Management
Own distributor strategy and performance management across multiple regional distributor partners with a focus on improving execution and expanding penetration within existing relationships Lead joint business planning processes with distributor partners to align priorities, targets, and execution plans Conduct regular business reviews, sales meetings, and work withs with distributor sales teams Monitor distributor inventories and maintain a consistent supply chain Leverage insights and field intelligence to inform strategy and corrective actions Ensure compliance with brand standards, pricing, product quality, and promotional execution across all channels Market Execution
Lead the annual business planning process with distributor partners to ensure alignment with strategic priorities Translate strategic objectives into clear, executable plans that distributor teams can implement at the regional and local levels Execute authorized mandates, pricing, promotions, displays, and resets in collaboration with distributor teams to meet chain retailer expectations Conduct 30/60/90 day and quarterly planning reviews to deliver against quantitative targets and KPIs Selling & Influence
Analyze consumer insights and distributor performance data to generate fact based selling materials Operate beyond a transactional sales mindset by identifying root causes of performance gaps and driving solutions across distributors, external partners, and internal teams Develop distributor selling networks through training and selling tools Manage all Point of Sale orders to ensure timely delivery of assets in store Maintain volume, pricing, and promotional information for distributor partners Key Account Execution
Call on and develop key chain accounts across both off premise and on premise channels Develop relationships with regional and local chain decision makers to drive incremental growth Communicate regularly with marketing and sales leadership to ensure execution of priorities at regional and national chain levels Own overall distribution performance for the business, identifying opportunities to expand store count, SKU placement, and execution quality within existing accounts Track KPIs including distribution, velocity, feature activity, and display execution Identify growth opportunities and implement corrective action plans as needed Budget & Program Management
Manage sales and marketing budgets effectively and responsibly Allocate resources to maximize ROI on promotions, displays, sampling, and market programs Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of spending and results Brand Building & Market Development
Act as a brand ambassador for the bev-alc portfolio in the marketplace Partner closely with marketing and agency teams to support awareness, trial, and activation initiatives, embracing shared ownership of outcomes Support market activations, samplings, and key brand initiatives Provide market feedback and insights to internal teams to inform strategy and innovation Qualifications
10+ years of beverage alcohol sales experience, preferably with DSD distribution across multiple states Proven success managing DSD wholesalers and chain accounts by driving account penetration, SKU expansion, and execution Strong understanding of the three tier system and regional market dynamics Track record of launching or scaling emerging or early stage brands a plus Creative problem solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills Experience using CRM tools, Microsoft 365 applications, and alcohol beverage sales reporting platforms Based in California with the ability to travel domestically up to 30% of the time
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Distributor & Wholesaler Management
Own distributor strategy and performance management across multiple regional distributor partners with a focus on improving execution and expanding penetration within existing relationships Lead joint business planning processes with distributor partners to align priorities, targets, and execution plans Conduct regular business reviews, sales meetings, and work withs with distributor sales teams Monitor distributor inventories and maintain a consistent supply chain Leverage insights and field intelligence to inform strategy and corrective actions Ensure compliance with brand standards, pricing, product quality, and promotional execution across all channels Market Execution
Lead the annual business planning process with distributor partners to ensure alignment with strategic priorities Translate strategic objectives into clear, executable plans that distributor teams can implement at the regional and local levels Execute authorized mandates, pricing, promotions, displays, and resets in collaboration with distributor teams to meet chain retailer expectations Conduct 30/60/90 day and quarterly planning reviews to deliver against quantitative targets and KPIs Selling & Influence
Analyze consumer insights and distributor performance data to generate fact based selling materials Operate beyond a transactional sales mindset by identifying root causes of performance gaps and driving solutions across distributors, external partners, and internal teams Develop distributor selling networks through training and selling tools Manage all Point of Sale orders to ensure timely delivery of assets in store Maintain volume, pricing, and promotional information for distributor partners Key Account Execution
Call on and develop key chain accounts across both off premise and on premise channels Develop relationships with regional and local chain decision makers to drive incremental growth Communicate regularly with marketing and sales leadership to ensure execution of priorities at regional and national chain levels Own overall distribution performance for the business, identifying opportunities to expand store count, SKU placement, and execution quality within existing accounts Track KPIs including distribution, velocity, feature activity, and display execution Identify growth opportunities and implement corrective action plans as needed Budget & Program Management
Manage sales and marketing budgets effectively and responsibly Allocate resources to maximize ROI on promotions, displays, sampling, and market programs Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of spending and results Brand Building & Market Development
Act as a brand ambassador for the bev-alc portfolio in the marketplace Partner closely with marketing and agency teams to support awareness, trial, and activation initiatives, embracing shared ownership of outcomes Support market activations, samplings, and key brand initiatives Provide market feedback and insights to internal teams to inform strategy and innovation Qualifications
10+ years of beverage alcohol sales experience, preferably with DSD distribution across multiple states Proven success managing DSD wholesalers and chain accounts by driving account penetration, SKU expansion, and execution Strong understanding of the three tier system and regional market dynamics Track record of launching or scaling emerging or early stage brands a plus Creative problem solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills Experience using CRM tools, Microsoft 365 applications, and alcohol beverage sales reporting platforms Based in California with the ability to travel domestically up to 30% of the time
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